1. Technological Field
Embodiments of the invention are generally concerned with functional modules suited for use in electronic equipment enclosures. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a functional module having a relatively wide card that includes features directed to permitting the card to be operably positioned in card support environments that include structure that would substantially hinder or prevent the use of conventional cards.
2. Related Technology
Electronic equipment enclosures are used in a variety of different industries and applications and generally serve to receive one or more pieces of electronic equipment and devices in such a way that the pieces of electronic equipment can operably interact with each other and/or with the electronic equipment enclosure. In particular, such electronic equipment enclosures typically include features directed to permitting the use of one or more “plug-in” functional modules that electrically and mechanically interface with the electronic equipment enclosure and/or with other functional modules, and that can be removed and/or replaced as desired.
To this end, many electronic equipment enclosures include internal structures configured to removably receive one or more functional modules in a desired arrangement. Such internal structures are often referred to as “card cages.” The card cage is configured so as to allow a user to modify the functionality associated with the electronic equipment enclosure by selecting particular functional modules to be employed in the electronic equipment enclosure. Specifically, the functionality associated with a particular electronic equipment enclosure can be modified by adding and/or removing selected functional modules having desired functional aspects to/from the card cage. While their respective functionalities may differ however, many of such functional modules nonetheless share a number of similar structural features.
For example, typical functional modules employed in conjunction with card cages include a printed circuit board, or “card,” attached to a front panel that may include various indicators, readouts, and/or connectors. Circuitry disposed on the card communicates with such indicators, readouts and connectors and serves to implement the functionality associated with that particular functional module. Various connectors on the rear of the card permit communication between the functional module and other functional modules or components associated with the electronic equipment enclosure. Finally, the front panel of the functional module typically includes one or more fasteners that engage corresponding structure of the card cage to aid in removable retention of the functional module within the card cage.
While functional modules such as those just described have proven useful in many regards, they nevertheless suffer from certain limitations. Some areas of particular concern relate to the configuration of the cards typically employed in many functional modules, and to the relation between such cards and card storage environments such as card cages.
For example, conventional card cages configured to accommodate two singlewide cards in an edge-to-edge arrangement necessarily include a central structural element that defines a guide rail on either side so as to provide support to an edge of each of the single-wide cards when those cards are received in the card cage. However, the presence of the center structural element effectively prevents use of a double-wide, or larger, card in the same slot of the card cage.
In particular, the center guide rails typically extend to the front of the equipment enclosure chassis and thus act to prevent insertion of the double-wide, or larger, card by blocking the path of the card edge. Such configurations materially impair, among other things, the flexibility and the usefulness of conventional electronic equipment enclosures by acting as a constraint on the size of the functional modules that may be employed in the card cage. Thus, the functionality associated with a relatively wider functional module that includes a double-wide or larger card, can only be implemented, if at all, by positioning a series of relatively narrow cards, such as single-wide cards, above one another in the card cage. As discussed below however, such arrangements can be problematic in some circumstances.
For example, each separate card must have its own electrical connection with the connectors on the card cage backplane. Moreover, the separate cards may each include structure, circuitry, or connections such as cables, for electrical communication with adjacent, or other, cards in the card cage system. Such requirements contribute to relatively high production costs for functional modules having these types of cards, and also serve to complicate installation. Further, in the event a functional module fails to operate properly, the use of a relatively larger number of electrical interfaces and connections impairs troubleshooting, diagnosis, and repair of the functional module.
Problems such as these are of particular concern where a pair of relatively small, such as single-wide, functional modules are used to implement various types of multichannel applications. This is due to the fact that in situations such as these, the operation and functionality of one module of the pair may be closely tied to the operation and functionality of the other module of the pair, requiring a large number of specialized or high speed connections directly between the functional modules rather than through the standardized backplane.
In view of the foregoing problems, and other problems in the art not specifically enumerated herein, what is needed is a functional module and associated card having features that permit the card to be operably positioned in card support environments configured for use with card geometries that are materially different from the geometry of the card of the functional module. Further, the functionality of the card should not be materially impaired by virtue of its being compatible with such card support environments.